2020-2021

SocietiesMagazine

Content

Societies Executive 4Societies List 5President’s Address 8Officer Address 9FAQs 10Awards 11Societies 12

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Societies Executive

Adam Burke Presidentpresident@uccsocieties.ie

Sheila Kelleher Secretary & Senate secretary@uccsocieties.ie

Mair Kelly Welfare & Accessibility welfare@uccsocieties.ie

Irina FernandesPRO & Media pro@uccsocieties.ie

Beth O’ ReillyStudents’ Union Rep comms@uccsu.ie

Kieran English Development & Engagement development@uccsocieties.ie

Maeve RichardsonTraining & Sustainability training@uccsocieties.ie

Mary O’ Donnell VP, Education & Eventsevents@uccsocieties.ie

Abhainn O’ Sullivan Finance & New Societies finance@uccsocieties.ie

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Societies List

Accounting & Finance accfin@uccsocieties.ieAfrica africa@uccsocieties.ieAlzheimer’s alzheimers@uccsocieties.ieAMSI amsi@uccsocieties.ieAn Chuallacht anchuallacht@uccsocieties.ieAn Cumann Dramaíochta cumannd@uccsocieties.ieAnimal Welfare animalwelfare@uccsocieties.ieArchaeology archaeology@uccsocieties.ieArchitecture architecture@uccsocieties.ieBiochemistry and Biotechnology biochem@uccsocieties.ieBiology biology@uccsocieties.ieBiomedical biomed@uccsocieties.ieBIS bis@uccsocieties.ieCancer Cancer@uccsocieties.ieChemical chemical@uccsocieties.ieChinese chinese@uccsocieties.ieChoral choral@uccsocieties.ieChristian Union christianunion@uccsocieties.ieClinical Therapies clinical@uccsocieties.ieCo-Operative cooperative@uccsocieties.ieComedy comedy@uccsocieties.ieCommerce commerce@uccsocieties.ieConnolly Youth cys@uccsocieties.ieCriminology criminology@uccsocieties.ieDental dental@uccsocieties.ieDisability Activism & Awareness disabilityactivism@uccsocieties.ieDJ dj@uccsocieties.ieDodgeball dodgeball@uccsocieties.ieDramat dramat@uccsocieties.ieE&S eands@uccsocieties.ieEconomics economics@uccsocieties.ieEmergency Care aemed@uccsocieties.ieEnactus enactus@uccsocieties.ieEngineering engineering@uccsocieties.ieEngineers Without Borders ewb@uccsocieties.ieEnglish Lit english@uccsocieties.ieEnvironmental environmental@uccsocieties.ieEuropa europa@uccsocieties.ieFailte Refugees failterefugees@uccsocieties.ieFashion fashion@uccsocieties.ieFeminist femsoc@uccsocieties.ieFianna Fail fiannafail@uccsocieties.ieFilm film@uccsocieties.ie

Society Email

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FLAC flac@uccsocieties.ieFoodies foodies@uccsocieties.ieFrench french@uccsocieties.ieFriends of MSF msf@uccsocieties.ieGenetics genetics@uccsocieties.ieGeology geology@uccsocieties.ieGerman german@uccsocietiesGovernment & Politics politics@uccsocieties.ieGP gp@uccsocieties.ieHarry Potter harrypotter@uccsocieties.ieHistorical historcial@uccsocieties.ieHope Foundation hopefoundation@uccsocieties.ieHorse Racing horseracing@uccsocieties.ieIndian indian@uccsocieties.ieInternational Development intdev@uccsocieties.ieInternational Relations ir@uccsocieties.ieInternational Students intstudents@uccsocieties.ieIrish Traditional Music tradmusic@uccsocieties.ieIslamic islamic@uccsocieties.ieItalian italian@uccsocieties.ieJapanese japanese@uccsocieties.ieJournalism and Media journalism@uccsocieties.ieKnitting knitting@uccsocieties.ieKorean korean@uccsocieties.ieLabour labour@uccsocieties.ieLaw law@uccsocieties.ieLGBTQ lgbt@uccsocieties.ieMacra na Feirme macra@uccsocieties.ieMathematical maths@uccsocieties.ieMedical medical@uccsocieties.ieMed Research and Technology mrt@uccsocieties.ieMusic music@uccsocieties.ieMusical musical@uccsocieties.ieNetworking netsoc@uccsocieties.ieOrchestra orchestra@uccsocieties.iePharmacy pharmacy@uccsocieties.iePhilosophical philosoph@uccsocieties.iePhotographic photographic@uccsocieties.iePhysics physics@uccsocieties.iePlanning planning@uccsocieties.iePsychological psychological@uccsocieties.ieSuicide Aware & Mental Health samh@uccsocieties.ieSci-Fi scifi@uccsocieties.ieScience science@uccsocieties.ieScribble scribble@uccsocieties.ieSimon simon@uccsocieties.ieSimpsons simpsons@uccsocieties.ieSinn Fein sinnfein@uccsocieties.ie

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Slavic slavic@uccsocieties.ieSocial Democrats socdems@uccsocieties.ieSouth East Asian sea@uccsocieties.ieStudents for Sensible Drug Policy ssdp@uccsocieties.ieSurgeon Noonan surgeonnoonan@uccsocieties.ieSurgical surgical@uccsocieties.ieSVP svdp@uccsocieties.ieTranslational Medicine translationalmed@uccsocieties.ieVegan vegan@uccsocieties.ieWARPS warps@uccsocieties.ieWiSTEM wistem@uccsocieties.ieYoung Fine Gael yfg@uccsocieties.ie

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Hello Everyone!

My name is Adam Burke and I’m very excited to be your Societies President for the upcoming year 2020/21. Firstly I’d like to extend a massive welcome to UCC, one of the most diverse and inclusive campuses in the country! The UCC experience goes beyond lectures and tutorials, there’s so much more to discover by getting involved! You can do everything from raising money for charity to putting on full scale theatrical productions and everything in between.

Here in UCC Societies we have more than 100 societies spanning every interest you could possibly think of! From Knitting to Netsoc, Dramat to Dentistry, Psychology to Sci-Fi, there really is something for everybody! Every single one of our societies is run by students for students, so you can be sure there are some like-minded individuals at the helm. And who knows, maybe that could be you running your dream society some day!

Getting involved with societies offers you a whole host of opportunities, from making friends outside of your course to going on an exciting trip abroad! You can really get some once in a lifetime experiences just by signing up! We’ve had societies like Choral who represent UCC in international competitions in Italy, Cancer Society who organise the UCC Relay for Life every year to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society and Surgeon Noonan who send teams of student doctors to Africa to help develop lives and healthcare!

This is just a small snippet of all the incredible societies we have and all the amazing work that they do and this year we’re going to do even more! But to achieve that, we need you! If you want to get a taste of what Societies have to offer, check out our social media pages! You can find us on Facebook at UCC Societies, or on Twitter and Instagram @uccsocieties! We’ve got photos, videos and so much more that will give you some of the highlights of the amazing times you could be having this year! Maybe you’ll come across a hobby you already love or you might discover something completely new that takes your fancy! You can sign up to as many as you like so don’t be afraid to give something new a go! Most Societies have their own social media presences too, so don’t be

afraid to check them out to see what they get up to during the year!

Feel like we’re missing something? If the society you want to join doesn’t exist yet, you can always set one up! If you and your friends share an interest that

you think would make a perfect society, get in touch with us and we’ll show you how you can go about creating a brand new one!

Societies are an amazing way to learn new skills, make new friends and, most importantly, have fun! Joining

up will be one of the best decisions you make in your time in UCC, so make sure you don’t miss out!

I look forward to seeing you join some of our fantastic Societies!

Adam

President’s Address

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A Chara,

My name is Michelle Whyte and I am your Societies Officer here in UCC. Firstly many congratulations on choosing this campus for your studies. Your time here will fly by- be sure to make the most of it by getting involved in a society of your choice. You can be sure this affiliation will make your time at UCC all the more enjoyable and memorable! Through participation you will find your ‘ r e a l social network’ and this will make your transition into college life all the easier.

With over 100 Societies available to you there is something for everyone; Geology, Harry Potter, Horse Racing, Dodgeball…the list goes on! Have a look on societies.ucc.ie and if you don’t see a Society that peaks your interest- talk to us about setting a new one up!!

You can sign up to any of our societies through candsportal.ucc.ie and you can even see a calendar of all the events your societies are hosting!

I am looking forward to meeting you all and share your excitement for the year ahead. I will work with your Societies President Adam, the Societies Executive (Mary, Abhainn, Maeve, Sheila, Mair, Irina, Kieran and Beth) and Societies Staff to maintain and support your Societies activity. We are located in the Clubs and Societies Space on the 1st floor of the Hub and are here to help and assist you! Please don’t hesitate to pop in, call or email with any queries or problems.

Here’s to a great year!

Beir Bua agus Beannacht,Michelle

Officer Address

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How do I join a Society?There’s a very easy way to join all the Societies you want!

• Go to candsportal.ucc.ie

• Log in using your student email and student IT password

• Go to “My Memberships” and click “Join new”

• Find the Society you want to join and click “Join”!

• Then you’ll be signed up and start receiving communication from any that you’ve joined!

You can also email any Societies directly or message them on their social media accounts!

Do I have to pay to join?Nope! All of our Societies are free to join!

Can I be on a Society committee?Absolutely! Keep an eye out for Societies holding their EGMs and see if any of the positions on offer sound like something that you’d be interested in. Then you can run for committee at the EGM!

FAQs

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Every year, UCC Societies likes to reward the hard work put in by our members with an awards ceremony at the end of the year! The STARS Awards, as we call them, are given to the most active and engaging Societies we have. The winners of some of these awards, even go on to compete at the Board of Irish College Societies National Awards at the end of the year! Take a look at our winners from last year below!

On top of that, the following societies went on to bring us back 5 awards at the BICS National Awards, making it the second year in a row that UCC have won the most awards!

Best Social Society NetsocBest Political & Activism Society EnviroBest Cultural & Debating Society English LitBest SEFS Society WiSTEMBest B&L/M&H Society MedicalBest Charitable/Religious Society CancerBest Creative Society ScribbleBest Departmental Society PharmacyBest New Society ScribbleBest Event WiSTEMAccessibility Awareness MRTBest Financial Management GovPolBest Intervarsity LawBest Mental Health Promotion Pharmacy & SÁMHBest Publicity Campaign CancerCommunity Engagement Fáilte RefugeesGreen Initiative Surgeon NoonanHealth & Safety Emergency Care SocietyInnovation Friends of MSFMost Improved NetsocBest Poster MusicBest Promo Video MedicalBest Individual David O’ Keefe - Surgeon NoonanBest Fresher Jack Riordan - Comedy, Fáilte, GreensBest Photo Science

Best Society in a Charitable/Civic Field CancerBest Departmental Society PharmacyBest New Society ScribbleBest Green Initiative Surgeon NoonanBest Photo Science

Awards

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Alzheimer’s

AMSI

UCC Alzheimer’s Society is the first society in any university or third-level institution in Ireland to represent Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Our 3 main goals are spreading awareness around campus, fundraising, and volunteering. With the prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia significantly increasing not only in Ireland, but globally, it is important to spread awareness amongst our generation about what the disease is and its profound effect on not only the patient, but also their family. We also have many volunteering positions for students who are interested in becoming more involved with the community. All our fundraising is donated to The Bessboro Day Care Centre in Cork. Some of our memorable society events in the past include Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Annual Memory Ribbon Day, World Food Fair, Speaker Series, Run to Remember Tag Rugby Tournament, and many more. If you would like to join our society, run for a committee position, or would like some more information, we will be at Societies Day and would be more than happy to provide you with any information you may need. We collaborate with many other UCC societies throughout the year and it’s a great way to get involved with a society that fundraises for a great cause. We look forward to the upcoming academic year and hopefully meeting many more students as our society continues to grow.

Being a 1st year in medicine is never easy: a truckload of knowledge is dropped into your hands and your task is to navigate through it in time for assessments. But is there anything else beyond repeatedly hitting the textbooks when it comes to protecting the health of the masses? The Association of Medical Students Ireland (AMSI), part of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), endeavours to promote all issues with respect to medicine and health beyond the structures of medical school curricula, in the domains of Public Health, Sexual & Reproductive Health, Medical Education, Human Rights & Peace and Professional Exchanges. We work to engage the community, medical student or otherwise, in a wide variety of activities. Catch us organising talks on aspects of physical and mental health for secondary school students during our annual Healthy Heroes, Christmas carolling in Direct Provision centres, a sexual health symposium in collaboration with other Irish medical schools, and even bringing in dogs(!!) during Our Med Minds to promote positive mental health (and definitely not because we love petting dogs) amongst medical students ;) If you wish to expand your horizons on global thinking, learn more about the challenges faced in healthcare from a broader perspective, or simply be part of an entity that is far larger than what you can imagine, then AMSI is excited to welcome you on board.

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Dia dhaoibh go léir agus fáílte is fiche romhaibh chuig UCC, Má tá tú ag iarraidh meascadh le daoine as Gaeilge, nó má theastaíonn uait do chuid Gaeilge a fheabhsú, ‘sé seo an sochaí duitse! Is cuma cén leibhéal Gaeilge atá agat, níl aon bac ort freastal ar na ciorcail cainte nó triail a bhaint as na díospóireachtaí. Ná bígí cúthailleach – tar agus bí ag caint is ag caidreáil linne.

Bíonn iliomad imeachtaí éagsúla ar siúl againn le linn na bliana, go háirithe I rith Spraoi Cois Laoi I mí Deireadh Fómhair agus Seachtain na Gaeilge I mí Márta. Ó chiorcail cainte go ióga agus ó Bhál na Gaeilge go Pop-up Gaeltachtaí, bíonn imeacht do na héinne ag An gCuallacht. Is slí taitneamhach agus neamhfhoirmeálta í chun do chuid Gaeilge a choimeád beo nó chun feabhas a chur uirthi.

Beidh obair na gcapaill á dhéanamh againne chun cinntiú go mbíonn bliain den chéad scoth lán de Ghaeilge agus craic agaibh go léír. Má tá ceist ar bith agaibh nó má thagann aon smaointe chubhaibh maidir le slite chun An Chuallacht a chur I bhfeabhas, ná bíodh drogall oraibh teacht chugainne nó dul I dteangmháil linn. Bheimís breá sásta cloisint uaibh.

Bainigí taitneamh as bhur gcéad bhliain anseo agus táimíd ag tnúth go mór le aithne a chur oraibh! Bígí linn!

An Chuallacht

An Cumann DramaíochtaAn bhfuil suim agat sa drámaíocht? An bhfuil suim agat sa Ghaeilge? An bhfuil suim agat sa chraic? ‘Sé seo an cumann dhuitse! Is cumann oscailte cruthaitheach Gaelach sinn, a chuireann drámaí trí Ghaeilge ar stáitse gach seimeastar. Má bhíonn tú mar bhall den gcumann so buailfidh tú le daoine eile gur breá leo an Ghaeilge, agus cuirfidh tú aithne nach beag ar shaothar drámaíochta na Gaeilge. Is mó buntáiste is féidir a bhaint as a bheith páirteach sa chumann so ar mhaithe led’ chuid Gaeilge amháin: méadaigh ar do stór focal; feabhsaigh do chuid gramadaí go taitneamhach (an rud is annamh is iontach!); forbraigh Gaeilge nádúrtha a bheidh ag tarrac ar Ghaolainn na Gaeltachta. Ní teangeolaithe sinn, áfach, is ar mhaithe le craic, spleodar agus comhluadar a bhímid. Ní gá go mbeadh taithí ar bith agat ar an stáitse, ná ní gá a bheith id’ aisteoir fiú, tá áit ann do gach duine, msh bainisteoir stáitse, soilse agus fuaimeanna, smideadh agus gruaig, prapaí agus feistis. Níl cumas ard Gaeilge ag teastáil uait ach oiread. Beidh an fháilte chéanna roimis an gcainteoir dúchais agus roimis an dtosnaitheoir glan, mar sin ná bíodh drogall ort, ach buail isteach chugainn Lá na gCumann. Nó murar féidir leat fanacht cuir rphost chugainn ag cumannd@uccsocieties.ie. Bheadh áthas orainn clos uait!

An Cumann Drámaíochta is an open, friendly, creative society that performs plays in Irish. It’s a great way to improve your fluency in Irish, but also to get to know Irish literature for the stage. You don’t need a very high competency in the language, all levels are welcomed. You don’t even need to have any experience onstage, and you don’t need to be an actor to take part: you could be stage manager, be in charge of lights or sound, hair or make-up, props or costumes. Bígí linn!

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ArchaeologyThe Archaeology Society is the society for anyone with a passing interest to a heart-felt passion for archaeology. The society offers opportunities to meet new people with a variety of specific interests in the human past. From stone circles in West Cork to Viking and Medieval burials of Ireland’s great cities; from the great megalithic tombs of the Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution, we have it all. The society also works to introduce and enhance archaeological knowledge and interest. Our year includes lectures from internationally recognised experts, fun social events, archaeology based discussions, and field trips to famous sites and landscapes. Archaeology is a fascinating subject and one of the best things about it is the endless scope to discuss and explore interpretations and knowledge with like- minded/ similarly intrigued people, which we do regularly. So, if you have any sort of interest in Irish or international archaeology, please consider joining our society; we would be happy to have you!

For more information follow us on:Twitter and Facebook: @UCCArchSocInstagram: UCCArchaeologySociety

Biochemistry and BiotechnologyThe UCC Biochemistry and Biotechnology society is a friendly and active society, which welcomes any students who are currently studying or have an interest in the biological sciences.

The aim of our society is to provide information, support and an opportunity to learn about biology outside of lectures. We organise a variety of different academic and social events; there is certainly something for everyone!

Throughout the year the society hosts academic talks, degree information evenings and industry seminars. These events allow students to learn about research, career opportunities and current topics in science from UCC researchers and guest speakers. We also organise industry tours, which enable students to learn first-hand about careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

The society is not only academic, but also provides an excellent opportunity for students to socialise. Many socials and collaborative events with other societies take place throughout the year, bringing students from different backgrounds and different years together. We also partake in charity fundraisers, and have raised money for many local charities over the past few years.

Whether you’re a student interested in our academic events or you’re just looking to meet new people, we would be delighted to have you join the society!

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Biology

Biomedical

At UCC Biology Society, we encourage our members to convey their passion for biology through interactive and educational events. During the academic year, UCC Biology Society welcome various speakers from both industrial and academic backgrounds. The purpose of this is to allow our members to gain an insight into the biopharmaceutical industry as well as to highlight the research opportunities that are available to students following completion of their undergraduate degree course.

As a society, we strive to express our love for biology in a light-hearted manner by holding events such as movie nights and quizzes. Over the last few years, we have also been delighted to have had the opportunity to be involved in the WISTEM Conference, which is now held annually in UCC. Last year, the topic we choose to place an emphasis on was Antimicrobial Resistance. As a society, we hope to raise more awareness of this imminent problem in the coming year.

One of our most popular events includes our Degree Outlet Talks which take place at the end of each academic year. This event gives students the opportunity to hear from both third and final year students from all degree outlets. This event is known to be a great help to students in choosing which degree course they would like to specialize in.

Finally, this year will mark the third Biology and Chemistry Ball. This is our main event during the academic year and it is one that is not to be missed! On the night, students from all year groups are invited to interact with one another, in the presence of both good music and good food.

Each year, UCC Biology Society welcome all new members with open arms. We wish you all the best of luck as you begin your new adventure in UCC.

The Biomedical Science Society is an academic society aimed at students studying biomedical science, or anyone with an interest in biomedical science. We are a very active society, hosting loads of social, academic and charitable events throughout the college year. Last year we had a great year despite having to finish up a little early because of the dreaded coronavirus and we are determined to make up for some of the lost time this year! Throughout the summer we have been busy planning lots of events, including the famous Biomed Ball and Can U Help CUH?, as well as some new and exciting events too! Joining the Biomedical Science Society is a great way to meet like-minded people, to get to know some of the people in other years and to gain an insight into the world of biomed. If you are interested in joining the Biomedical Science Society, or want some more information, please check out our Facebook and Instagram pages!

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Chemical

CancerThe Biomedical Science Society is an academic society aimed at students studying biomedical science, or anyone with an interest in biomedical science. We are a very active society, hosting loads of social, academic and charitable events throughout the college year. Last year we had a great year despite having to finish up a little early because of the dreaded coronavirus and we are determined to make up for some of the lost time this year! Throughout the summer we have been busy planning lots of events, including the famous Biomed Ball and Can U Help CUH?, as well as some new and exciting events too! Joining the Biomedical Science Society is a great way to meet like-minded people, to get to know some of the people in other years and to gain an insight into the world of biomed. If you are interested in joining the Biomedical Science Society, or want some more information, please check out our Facebook and Instagram pages!

UCC Chemical Society is UCC’s oldest society founded in 1825, but we (in our humble opinion) one of UCC’s best societies with academic talks on modern day chemistry, with talks from speakers in both academic and industry fields. We also do industry tours and socials so that our members get to interact with other students, and get a wholistic view on what it’s like working in industry and academia.

Please pop over and say hi to us at the stall!

Chinese大家好, the Chinese Society is all about Chinese culture- from language, history, media, fashion, music and everyone’s favourite, food! We want to celebrate, educate and inform those interested in any aspect of Chinese culture. Keep an eye out on our social media for our next cultural trip up to Dublin, our food workshop (anyone want some bubble tea?), cultural talks and more. 2019/2020 was our first official year as the newly-revived Chinese Society and it was an incredibly successful year for us- we were runner-up for Best Cultural Society! If you’re interested, why not come along and get to know us?

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ChoralUCC Choral Society was founded in 1937 and has grown to be one of the most active, largest and successful societies on campus. Rehearsals take place in the Geography Lecture Theatre every Tuesday from 7-9pm. We welcome and encourage all students to join regardless of their choral experience. We hold several events throughout the year that range from themed socials, Musical Lingo Bingo and open mic nights. Our main focus is the two concerts we hold at the end of each semester to showcase the talent our members display. At the end of semester 1 we hold our Carols by Candlelight concert. The show runs for three nights and its is always a sold out event. Our year always ends on a high with our semester 2 Sounds of Spring concert which is in aid of a different charity each year.

The Society is also made up of two sub-choirs. The first of them is UCC Singers. Formed in September 2014, UCC Singers in the competitive choir linked with UCC Choral Society. The choir is made up of 30 members and is reformed every September for the new college year on an audition basis. UCC Singers has an astonishing reputation and in the past have been awarded Choir of the Year 2018 in Sligo Choral Festival and most recently have competed in the Mixed Voice section in the City of Derry International Choral Festival, where they placed second with a score of 90%.

The second sub-choir is a our International Choir. Each year the society sends a number of its members to compete in an international choral festival abroad. In past years, we have competed in Budapest, Prague and Verona to name but a few.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays at 7pm in GGLT. See you soon!

Clinical TherapiesThe Clinical Therapies society is an outlet for students studying Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and masters students in Physiotherapy, Audiology and Diagnostic Radiography. However, you don’t have to be studying one of these courses to come along to one of our events! As we are in intense courses and often don’t venture too far from Brookfield, our society aims to connect students across all the year groups and professions through socials, information evenings, bake-sales, collabs with other societies and of course there is always plenty of tea and coffee! Many students would agree that the CT Society has provided them with an outlet to unwind and get to know other students, and gain a lot of confidence and new skills! Plus, the highly anticipated Brookfield Ball and monthly Aphasia cafe’s (social outlet for those with communication difficulties following stroke) are highlights of our year! :)

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Co-Operative

Comedy

UCC Co-Operative Society is UCC’s newest and most dynamic society!Don’t know what a co-op is? Not a problem! We’re here to teach you and to let you get involved! Are you interested in brushing up on your activism, learning new practical skills and tackling issues relevant to students; particularly around housing, jobs and social issues?We aim to provide all those opportunities and more! It’s not all hard work here at Co-Op soc though, there’ll be plenty of chances to network, socialise and have a laugh alongside an active committee and a growing community.

In order to best reflect our commitment to our democratic/co-operative values as a society we take a particular approach to the society, one which ensures member engagement and committee accountability so that everyone has a voice in what we do and how we do it. We’ll even help you get in touch with other societies you may be interested in as well, through a myriad of brilliant collaborations we have planned for the academic year ahead.

So if you have a desire for real change, or just want to brush up on your DIY be sure to check us out by heading along to one of our events or e-mailing us at cooperative@uccsocieties.ie if you have questions. Talks, workshops, debates, screenings, protests, karaoke; there is something for everyone in UCC Co-Op Soc.

Hello everyone! Welcome to UCC! We’re the UCC Comedy Society. Our goal is to give students and staff the opportunity to learn comedy or further develop existing comedy skills, to share in the enjoyment of comedy, to give students and staff the opportunity to appreciate comedy through different media, and to encourage the growth of comedy throughout the University.

We run both stand-up and sketch comedy workshops, host a number of comedy events such as stand-up shows, open mic nights, screenings of comedy shows, and much much more. If you enjoy comedy, want to be a comedian, or even just like to have a laugh, pop along to one of our many events. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

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Heading into its 91st year, UCC’s Law Society is one of the University’s oldest and largest societies. We organise an extremely wide range of activities and do so in an effort to meet the needs and wants of all of our members. The Society hosts regular House Meetings which involve either prestigious guests, such as former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, or insightful panel debates on pressing issues, for example the decriminalisation of drugs. We also facilitate a large amount of debating and moot courts events, open to all members whether they are complete novices or experienced advocates. The Society’s other educational events include our annual Law Conference, biennial Women in Law Forum and the publishing of the Cork Online Law Review. Turning to the social side of things, we produce an extensive social calendar each year, ranging from smaller year-group socials to the black-tie Law Ball and Law Dinner. Finally, we strive to represent the academic and career related views of our members and as such are in constant contact with, and organise many events alongside, UCC’s Law School and employers both in the legal sector and further afield.

All UCC law students are automatic members of the Society and are encouraged to make use of it to enhance every aspect of their legal studies. However, students from any discipline are more than welcome to take part in whatever facets of the Society pique their interest. Regardless of how involved you are in the Law Society, you can be assured that everything we produce is of an extremely high standard and created with our members in mind. We have some exciting plans for next year and hope to see plenty of new members, so make sure to say hello to us around campus or get in touch at law@uccsocieties.ie!

Commerce

CriminologyMurder, drugs, prison, more murder - what better way to start college? Here at the UCC Criminology Society, we examine all these finer aspects of the human condition. Always had a passion for serial killers, but your parents tell you not to talk about it, because it’s not “appropriate conversation for your cousin’s baptism”? Well, repress that curiosity no more! From Ted Bundy to Hannibal Lector and all the characters in between, CrimSoc aims to explore the macabre and the political, the gruesome murders and the equally vile social underpinnings that produce social unrest. Drug decriminalisation, the prison industrial complex, criminal psychology, and oh my! We have something for everyone, so join us to find like -minded weirdos at talks, screenings, quizzes, and more!

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DentalUCC’s Dental Society is the society with the biggest smile! We are dedicated to our dental school students to make sure they have the best experience possible here in Cork. We organise a huge variety of social events such as the Welcome Back Party, Halloween, and the annual Dent Ball- with us around there won’t be a boring moment. Sporting events are also a huge part of the society. Last year we held basketball, squash, and football tournaments! As well as that, we hold numerous educational events to help enrich your knowledge of Dentistry and make the journey through the course a smooth one. Career Conferences, demonstrations of equipment and information stands are just a few of the events we have planned for the year. We’re incredibly excited to welcome the incoming first years to Dentistry. Dent Soc knows it can be stressful settling in, so we have various measurements in place to make the transition an easier one. Our buddy system sets you up with a second year who you can turn to for advice. Our welcome back events are designed to help you get acquainted with your year, and we’re always here to help if you want to drop us a message. As a committee we want you to know that you can approach any of us when you need anything- whether it’s exam stress, trouble getting used to the course or just to chat! We want to extend a huge welcome to all incoming students and can’t wait to see you at our upcoming events!

DodgeballHi everyone! This is the newly founded UCC Dodgeball Society. We are a fun, exciting society who play dodgeball, have a good time and we would love for you to join us. Since the UCC Dodgeball Society was founded in November 2019 we have held many events. We have weekly dodgeball training sessions in the Mardyke arena. These sessions have been a great way to meet new people interested in the game and to improve our skills. We also held our first Dodgeball tournament- Cosmic Dodgeball, which will be an amazing event we plan to have year after year. This tournament puts an exciting twist on the game by playing it in the dark under UV lights! We also have many other events throughout the year for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a dodgeball expert or have yet to taste the sweet glory of throwing a dodgeball, you are more than welcome to come along! Pop up to us on Societies Day or message us via email/Facebook/Instagram if you would like to sign up. Need to relieve some stress? Want to make new friends? Want to have a laugh? Then UCC Dodgeball Society is the society for you!

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DramatUCC Dramatic Society is concerned with promoting every aspect of theatre around the UCC campus. We put on several productions every year and give all students a chance to get involved in all aspects of the productions from cast to crew with technical opportunities. As well as full scale productions we also host weekly improv workshops. We had some unforgettable and hilarious moments happen in these workshops and we also witnessed great friendships form as a result. No experience is required to partake in any of our events and we aim to create a non-judgmental and open-minded environment for people to express themselves through whatever aspect of theatre they choose to focus on.

We started off the year 2019/20 by taking part in a welcome workshop with UCC Musical Theatre Society. We then put on a short play festival in October which consisted of five plays written, directed and acted in by current members of our society. We also put on the panto ‘Sleeping Beauty’ in collaboration with UCC Musical Theatre Society, this was put on for RAG week and we raised over €800 for RAG week charities. In addition to this we had our weekly improv workshops as mentioned above, a weekly tech workshop, a writing workshop in collaboration with UCC English Society facilitated by 2 dramat alumni, took part in the UCCMTS workshop series and a wonderful RAG week collaboration with UCC History Society and UCC Comedy Society which was a popular evening for all involved. Finally, we had three full scale productions in the works throughout the year; ‘This is our Youth’ by Kenneth Lonergan and two amazing plays written by our own members. ‘The Lodger’ by Rhiannon Connick and ‘Esmées Ghost’ by Angie McGrath.

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Emergency CareWelcome to UCC! Societies are a fantastic way to meet new people with similar interests to you and enable you to try many new things. The Emergency Care Society (ECS) provides students who have an interest in emergency care with the opportunity to foster that interest and learn new skills.

ECS is open to all students at UCC. We run numerous events throughout the year, with a focus on practical skills in an emergency setting. SimWars is synonymous with the ECS. Teams of 6 compete in handling various medical emergencies, with the top team representing UCC at an intervarsity event. Our students have emerged victorious in the past two intervarsity events, testament to the training and support received from local Cork doctors.

Medical emergencies don’t always occur in settings with access to sufficient resources. Last year we introduced students to Wilderness and Adventure Medicine, enabling students to learn and experience emergency care in isolated settings. Some of our members travelled to Mayo, completing a three-day Wilderness Medicine Course, honing their skills in managing emergencies in various environments, from the seaside to the mountaintops!

We aim to train members in skills relevant to their everyday lives. Throughout the year, we run themed events for members, including the likes of Halloween Horrors. In this event, members learned how to manage common medical emergencies that may occur on Halloween, or on nights out, such as drug overdose, trauma and ‘death’ by fright. We also invite a range of speakers throughout the year to give engaging talks on different aspects of emergency medicine; from psychiatric emergencies to working with an air ambulance, all delving into their experiences working in an emergency setting.

The skills acquired by our members at these events will last a lifetime and may be the difference in saving someone’s life!

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EnactusEnactus is a global nonprofit organisation dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. When you join us, you will get the chance to make the world a better place, by taking on a project that solves social problems.

We aim to solve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Come join us and have great opportunities to network with like-minded students who want to use their skills to improve our society. You will get to develop your CV with hands-on business experience.

We meet every Monday at 6pm, and work on our projects, any new ideas are very welcome! Each year, the projects get represented in the Enactus Nationals, usually held in Dublin, for a chance to represent Ireland in the Enactus World Cup.

Last year, we had 2 active projects, Ceangal and Spread The Love. Ceangal is a project that helps the refugees and asylum seekers in direct provision to find jobs.

Spread The Love is a project that helps the youth in Cork by letting young adults produce jam and sell it.

If you like the sound of these projects, don’t forget to contact us! Find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and email: enactus@uccsocieties.ie

EngineeringAs UCC’s Engineering Society, our main aim is to organise events which promote engineering in new and refreshing ways via workshops, quizzes, trips and hosting guest speakers. However, we also provide a social outlet for our members allowing them to mix and network with other students outside their classes. The society is open to all students whether studying engineering or simply wanting to meet new people.

Our two biggest events in the year are our annual Engineering ball (hosted in Rochestown Park Hotel) and Engineering cup (Played on the mardyke all weather pitch) which are held in first and second semester respectively.

There will be an opportunity to become a member of this years society at our AGM and the best way to stay up to date with various events through the year are by following us on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages @engsocucc.

To make things even better, most of our events are sponsored by Domino’s pizza so you won’t go hungry!!!

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Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is an international organisation attempting to bridge the gap between academia, industry and NGO.

EWB UCC is a student led chapter that supports the vision of EWB international that works towards creating “a sustainable world where engineering enables long-term positive social and global development for the benefit of people and the environment everywhere.”

At EWB UCC we aim to raise awareness about and encourage students to support sustainable development both nationally and internationally.

Engineers Without Borders

English LiteratureWe at English Literature Society pride ourselves in celebrating literature! We have a variety of events that we know you’ll be interested in, such as our book clubs, movie nights, socials and our monthly Open Mic Nights at the Friary which won the Society its Best Cultural Event Award and Best Cultural & Debating Society in the 2019/20 academic year. As a Society, we want to encourage others to explore literature and engage with one another about the beauty behind writing and reading. Alongside weekly events, the Society also publishes its annual Quarryman Journal. Comprised of prose, short stories and poetry, UCC’s students, faculty and alumni can submit their original works to our Committee. We hope to cross paths with your time here at UCC!

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Environmental

Europa

The UCC Environmental Society was founded in 2006, and it has been growing ever since. Sustainability and climate action are needed more than ever in the world. Rising CO2 levels, rising seas, extreme weather events, soaring extinction rates and ubiquitous pollution; all these issues have real impacts on people. These impacts are disproportionately caused by Western Society but felt by developing nations. While in Ireland, these issues may not appear so severe, in some countries it is a case of life or death. Here at Envirosoc, we are still hopeful, “it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. Through collective action, education and by working off of the momentum of generations of environmentalists, we believe we can bring about real change.

Join the Environmental Society and contribute to making the world a greener, cleaner and fairer place. We run events all year round, from talks on environmental issues, sustainability workshops, litter-pickings, swapshops and our annual Climate Conference. We also have several online guides to help you in your sustainable life and a podcast for good measure. UCC was recently voted the 9th most sustainable university in the world. This has been the result of years of hard work by students and staff. While we are very proud of our University’s achievements, we will not stop pushing them to improve, and ensure that a sustainable future is accessible for everybody.

Europe is important to Ireland and Ireland is important to Europe. UCC Europa Society is the group which caters for anyone who is interested in any and all parts of Europe. Our events include topics which are political, cultural and social but all have one common trend, Europe. As an apolitical society, any and all people are welcome and we are open to any opinions or views. We are the perfect society for those studying European Studies, for anyone who has a strong interest in Eurovision and everything in between. Institutes such as the European Union are important to Europa and many of our political events centre around debates and discussions about Ireland and the European Union. In the past, Europa events have included Eurovision ‘Shite Nights’ where we spend a night listening to songs from the Eurovision and getting to know each other. We’ve had many guest speakers including Helen McEntee in recent years. The last few years, Brexit has been the talk of Europe so we held lots of events about Brexit and its effects on Ireland. We host movie nights with films such as ‘The Lives of Others’ and ‘1917’ being some of our most popular. If any of this sounds good to you, then we’re the society for you! Make sure to follow our social media’s to stay up to date with our events and come along if one interests you.

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Korean

Fáilte Refugees is a UCC society dedicated to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers to UCC, Cork and Ireland, working on ensuring understanding, solidarity and basic human rights thrive within our communities. We wish to add another fresh voice in the battle for refugees’ rights within Ireland and campaign for their promotion. We are dedicated to giving students and staff the opportunity to volunteer to aid refugees and asylum seekers, promoting refugee rights by running campaigns, fundraising to further aid refugees and asylum seekers, and to promoting positive outlooks towards refugees and asylum seekers by education. Alongside running and co-running events such as UCC Refugee Week and Christmas and Easter parties for children and their parents in Direct Provision, we work with other refugee groups and university societies to achieve our aims of education, co-operation and a welcome - or Fáilte - for all. We look forward to meeting you all in the new academic year, and hope that you can help us make it our best yet!

Fáilte Refugees

FashionFashion is a creative and diverse society in UCC. With members of all different ages, genders and styles, there is never a dull moment. The perfect society to join if you wish to express your own unique style, learn more about the fashion industry or even just to meet new and like-minded people. Weekly events range from fabric workshops to fashion career panels, swap shops to fashion shows. 20/21 will see the launch of the society’s STÍL magazine – the university’s first fashion focused publication. For students, by students, it creates the perfect opportunity for students to learn more about photography, styling, modelling, hair and makeup. The event of the year, UCC Next Top Model, is the showstopper for the society. Bang in the middle of UCC Fashion Week, creative students will gain the opportunity to be apart of something big (& colourful!)

We look forward to welcoming all our new members in September! If you think this is the society for you, make sure to check out our social media (@uccfashionsociety) for more information.

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Feminist

Fianna Fáil

The Feminist Society (or FemSoc as we’re better known as) is a super welcoming and inclusive society! We are really active in fighting for gender equality and promoting feminism both on campus and in the wider community. We hold some really amazing events and work on different campaigns throughout the year. Our annual FemPower Conference is a super fun day where we invite incredible feminists to come and talk on different topics and provide exciting workshops. It is always a really exciting and inspirational day. We hold a production of Vagina Monologues every year as well, that everyone is invited to join and support. It is a really powerful production that everyone who takes part in loves! Some of our campaigns at the moment include introducing consent classes for everyone in UCC and fighting period poverty on campus. We work hard to help make our campus a more equal place while also having lots of fun! We welcome everyone to join us in making a change and having a good time while doing so! We want everyone to feel safe and welcome both in our society and at UCC. If you’re interested in feminism and gender equality FemSoc is the perfect place to get involved and make some incredible friends! Every year brings fantastic new ideas and projects and we cannot wait to show you everything we have planned for this year!

UCC Fianna Fáil is the largest and most active political society on campus. Named after pioneering Education Minister Donogh O’Malley, the cumann is represented at all levels of the party, both in the senior constituency organisation and Ógra Fianna Fáil as a whole.

Established in 1967, numerous Ministers have played their role as members including party leader Micheál Martin, Michael McGrath, Joe Walsh & Micheal Smith. The Donogh O’Malley Cumann has won the Gobnait O’Connell Memorial Award for best Ógra unit in the country twice; first in 2015 and most recently in 2019!

New members are always more than welcome. Our members have a diverse range of views from centre left to centre right so there’s always lively debate and discussion and of course great socials. During the past year alone we hosted former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for a talk, engaged in a policy discussion which was attended by Uachtarán Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin, attended national events such as the annual Cáirde Fáil Dinner and the Ógra Fianna Fáil National Youth Conference and hosted the Ógra Fianna Fáil Christmas Party.

We also had the opportunity to canvass for Pádraig O’Sullivan in the Cork North Central Bye Election as well as numerous candidates in the 2020 General Election including Michael McGrath, Aindrais Moynihan, Micheál Martin and Sandra Murphy. We’re proud to be able to play our part in achieving an Ireland for all and we look forward to the wide range of events planned for the upcoming year!

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FrenchBonjour à tous!! Do you have an interest in the French language or culture, or maybe you just like the food? Well, from cultural gatherings and opportunities to practise language skills, our society has plenty on offer to satisfy any French enthusiast, plus, dare we say, we are the society that makes the best crêpes on campus! Our society is committed to keeping French culture alive here at UCC through our diverse range of events. Our language exchanges are probably our most anticipated events, where we spend the night conversing en français, sometimes with the help of games to break the ice. We also host movie nights showcasing some of our favourite French films, with subtitles to include everyone, last year we chose Amélie and Les Intouchables. You will also find us in the Orb serving crepes throughout the year, last year we used our skills to raise money for the Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Society. We enjoy collaborating with other societies, for instance the World Food Fair which is held yearly by different cultural societies to raise money, and the European Quiz put together by all of UCC’s European societies. If you are planning your Erasmus year to a French speaking university, you can’t miss our Erasmus evening where you will be given the opportunity to meet students who have just returned from their year abroad, ready to give you all of the information you may never have thought to even ask. We intend to expand our events and look forward to meeting all of our new members this year, and please, don’t be shy, all levels of French are welcome, from those of you who haven’t even started learning, to you fluent francophones. Keep your eye on our social media platforms for upcoming events.À bientôt!

The role of UCC Friends of MSF is to raise funds and awareness for MSF’s cause of providing medical assistance to individuals that are affected by conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, or exclusion from health care. Our 12 committee members had a very successful year starting off with Fresher’s Fest! We raised awareness about MSF’s mission to new students and encouraged them to join our society. Fresher’s Fest was also where we held our first campaign. We wanted to display the diversity amongst UCC students so we asked everyone who passed by our booth to put in a pin into a world map to show us where they were from! Another campaign that we held was the Access Promotional Campaign in which we held a talk to raise interest and awareness about the Johnson & Johnson campaign that MSF had launched in October 2019. The aim of this campaign was to decrease the price of a tuberculosis treating drug, bedaquiline. We also held a campaign called “Tasty Treats for Tasty Minds” where we offered tea and coffee outside of Boole Library on main campus and talked to UCC students about mental health and the work MSF does with refugees. Our last campaign for the year was when we visited schools in Cork and shared what MSF does and what we can do to support them. With school visits, we hoped to inspire young minds to get involved with charities and give back to people that are less fortunate. Aside from our campaigns, we also held several successful fundraisers such as our Netflix and Chill quiz, Law’s Got Talent, Med’s Got Talent, Winter Swim, and several bucket collection days in city center! Lastly, we aimed to raise awareness for the work that MSF does by holding small events like mapathons, movie screenings, and even held our very first podcast so that people could learn more about the charity and its various roles. In conclusion, we had a very successful year and surpassed our goals for fundraising and raising awareness of MSF’s work! We all immensely enjoyed being a part of this committee and cannot wait to see what next year holds!

Friends of MSF

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GeneticsGenetics Society is an academic society which aims to broaden our members’ knowledge of the world of genetics. Throughout the year we host a variety of events from guest speakers to quiz nights to social events and more. By becoming part of Gensoc, not only will you gain knowledge but also friendship! Through our events, our members can expect to network with leading personnel from both academia and industry. As a society, we are known for our philanthropic work with charities such as Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. We aim to raise awareness of genetic disorders and represent those who feel under-represented in society. If you feel like we could be what you are looking for, why not check us out on any of our social media accounts on all major platforms and keep an eye out for details of our upcoming events!

GermanWillkommen Studenten,

We are the UCC German Society and we wish you a very warm welcome to this wonderful university! We hope this year will be an unforgettable experience for you and that you’ll be able to take the first steps in your dreams and visions being realized! A great way to get started settling in is to get involved in societies. The German Society of UCC is ideal for finding a sense of belonging and building a circle of friends.

We are a group of students who have a passionate interest about the German language and culture and therefore host events based on these customs. Our Stammtischs(socials), Festivals, language exchange programs and many other types of events will allow you to hone your German language skills and to gain an awareness of what it’s like to be a German. Most importantly though, you will meet many new interesting people and have a good time out. Students of all levels of German are welcome!

To get involved find us on Facebook or Instagram where you’ll find more about our society and of our achievements. It is also where we’ll let you know of planned future events that you could attend. For further information please do not hesitate to email us: german@uccsocieties.ie. We welcome any questions or queries you may have about our society, events or about the college itself. We are here for you to get the most out of college life and we look forward to meeting you soon. This college year will be unique with us!

Bis Gleich,

UCC German Society

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The UCC Government & Politics society has established itself as the prominent society at the forefront of discussion regarding all things politics.

Our society is not aligned to any political parties or ideologies. We welcome any and all opinions to join our society so we can have the opportunity to host interesting and engaging debates.

Our society is renowned for being at the heart of the politically diverse landscape within UCC.

The society welcomes all students with any political views to join and particularly anybody to wishes to broaden their political understanding of current affairs that are ongoing in such a turbulent political climate. Students of BSc Government and Political Science and BA Politics are deeply encouraged to join as our society exercises your debating skills and broadens our knowledge.

The government and politics society hosts a wide variety of events over the academic year. We regularly host debates on topical issues which are always thoroughly enjoyable and engaging for all. We welcome an array of highly respected guest speakers for expert analysis and opinions.

Our society also hosts many socials to help our members meet each other and discover common interests and opinions creating many new friendships for our members.

The highlight for our society is Politics week. During this week we host our society ball, a model Dáil event and offer a huge array of events to attend. We also host the annual Government Cup, our yearly soccer tournament for Government and Politics members, students and staff which is a hugely popular occasion every year.

So for the home of political discussion, amazing guest speakers and the best socials join UCC Government and Politics society this year.

Government & Politics

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Harry PotterThe Harry Potter Society is delighted to welcome you to the ‘Hogwarts’ of Ireland. We understand that starting college may be a daunting time and you may be worried about not finding your way or settling into a new environment. Our society offers a welcoming and friendly space for you to express your interest and to meet new and like-minded people. We cater to all degree of Harry Potter fans, from casual readers or viewers to devoted fanatics. We begin the year with our annual ‘Sorting Ceremony’ held in the ‘Great Hall’ of UCC, the Aula Maxima, an event attended by Ryan Tubridy in the past. At this event students are sorted into their Hogwarts House by the ‘Sorting Hat’. For our more intense fans, we have our biannual quiz, with fantastic prizes, to test your knowledge on all things Harry Potter.

Our biggest event is the Yule Ball, which we celebrate at the start of November. We encourage our members to put on their best robes and join us for a night of delicious food, dancing and a little bit of magic! Throughout the year we screen all the Harry Potter movies, complete with pizza and snacks, at various locations around the campus. We are also proud to say that we collaborate with a variety of other amazing societies to create some stunning projects and exciting events.

Our society has nine hundred followers on Instagram and Twitter and over 5000 likes on Facebook. We use our social media accounts to connect with our members on a greater scale and share important information about events with them. Feel free to sign up to the society this year and get involved in making UCC a more magical place!

Horse RacingThe sport of kings and one of the oldest sports in the world, the UCC Horse Racing Society caters for people for all levels of interest in horse racing from someone who has a curiosity and would like to learn more about the world of horse racing to the avid race goer who has followed the sport for years.

The society aims to host several events in each semester, with at least one race day per semester such as the Clonmel Oil Chase or the Thyestes in Gowran Park. All of our race days include a visit to a nearby stud or yard, previous visits have included trips to the yard of Ballydoyle supremo and 22 time Irish Champion Flat Trainer Aidan O’Brien, 13 time Irish Champion NH Trainer Willie Mullins, Melbourne cup winning trainer Joseph O’Brien and a tour of the world famous Coolmore Stud which houses racing legends and world leading stallions such as Galileo, Australia, Camelot and Caravaggio.

Between our visits to race courses and trainers yards, the society aims to have a bi-weekly social forum where members can gather in a relaxed setting to discuss news in the racing world over the last few weeks and races that are coming up. The society also intends to hold various events over the course of the year such as quizzes and charitable events for charities such as the Injured Jockeys Fund. We have some very exciting plans in the works for the upcoming 2020/21 college year. We would encourage students from all levels of interest in the sport to join the society and embrace the opportunity to make friends with other like minded people who share a passion for horse racing and make new friends as we watch, discuss and debate all aspects related to horse racing.

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IndianNamaste!On behalf of UCC Indian Society we want to welcome you all to University College Cork. University College Cork, our dearest university, is rich in culture, knowledge, and diversity, has a graceful history, and is considered one of the best universities in not only Ireland but all over Europe. UCC also has more than 100 different societies and 50 different sports clubs. Among all the clubs, we, UCC Indian Society, are considered one of the best societies for grand celebrations, colorful events, promoting diversity and many more. Usually our year starts with the following chronology: we get introduced on Societies Day, get to know each other on Freshers Welcome, dance our heart out on Bollywood Nights, enjoy a wonderful cultural evening together on Diwali Celebration, show our patriotism on Republic Day and Independence Day Celebration, tint ourselves on Holi, enjoy our togetherness in a Weekend Trip and enhance our skillsets like cooking, Bollywood dance in different workshops. We had an amazing journey last year until the pandemic kept us apart. All our events were a grand success and we were honored by the presence of the Indian Ambassador in our Republic Day event. Along with our big events, we collaborate with several other societies for drawing competition, food festivals, and other fundraising events. Currently, with the help of our sponsor, we are assisting several international students for their different necessities.

Hope fully the pandemic will be over soon and we will be ready with our colorful events to rock you. So, if you do not want to miss all the fun, join our society today and stay tuned for the upcoming fun. Stay tuned with us with our Instagram account ucc_indians and UCC Indian Society facebook page. Wish you all the best.

The International Development Society is a student run society focused on the issues facing global development. We aim to engage students in the areas of health, nutrition, education, poverty reduction, gender equality, the environment, and human rights, through creative and informative mediums. We plan on running a variety of events throughout the year, including talks with guest speakers from development organisations, workshops, artistic events, debates and so much more! One of the best parts of International Development is that it covers so many important social, environmental, and economic issues, so everyone can find an area that they are passionate about. We aim to help bring global development issues to UCC campus. We also engage students with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as many of our events are inclusive of the aims and values set out by these goals. We plan to work both within UCC but also in the wider community, by developing an outreach program and participating in the wider community. We work to empower students to use their voice, share opinions and act against injustice and inequality in the world. Our collaborations with other societies and the wider community help our members to learn even more about the issues from all around the world. If global development, fighting against injustices and activism interests you then consider joining our society!

International Development

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International Students

Irish Traditional Music

The UCC International Students Society (ISS) aims to maximise international students’ experience here on campus, in Cork, and in Ireland in general. We welcome students from all over the world to Cork. Each and every year we have over 1000 new members sign up. Providing over 70 events in 2019 and 50 in 2020. We aim to make students’ experiences here at UCC unforgettable. One of the main ways we accomplish this is by offering our members weekend trips to different parts of Ireland, including Kerry, Galway, and Belfast, throughout the semester. We also organise weekly themed social events which cater to both Irish and international students. Furthermore, we host a large number of cultural events throughout the year such as “speed friendship” at the beginning of each semester, language exchanges, trips and much more, all with the goal of building bonds that will last a lifetime between people from all over the world. We are open to all students, visiting and domestic, and welcome everyone to come along and take part- we are a huge society with enough room for anyone and everyone!

UCC TradSoc is the home of traditional Irish music in UCC. We aim to promote traditional Irish music within UCC through the organisation of events throughout the year.

Our main event is the weekly lunchtime concert series. Every Wednesday at 1.10pm in the Seomra Caidrimh of the ORB, we have a lunchtime concert featuring fantastic guest musicians. Last year, such musicians as Derek Hickey, Caoimhin Ó Fearghail, Paddy Tutty and Lucia & Maria performed.

For those wishing to experience traditional music in a less formal setting, we have a weekly session every Tuesday at 9pm in the Old Oak Bar. This session is always lively and all are welcome to either join in or just listen.

The centerpiece of our events calendar is the UCC TradFest which takes place in February/March. Last year, events included a guest lecture from Dr Jimmy O’Brien Moran, a Battle of the Bands competition, a concert which featured our headline act “3 on the Bund” as well as informal sessions throughout. The UCC TradFest is an exciting festival and perfect for those who wish to experience authentic traditional music.

UCC TradSoc is a friendly and welcoming society which promises an enjoyable experience to anyone who wishes to join. Our doors are open to people who have been playing traditional music all their lives as well as those who have never heard it before. Through our calendar of events, we hope to promote traditional music, song and dance as well as to have fun along the way!

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Japanese

Journalism and Media

If you are interested in any aspect of Japanese culture, the Japanese Society here at UCC will eagerly welcome you! Whether it is food, gaming, literature, or the Japanese language itself, we will be hosting weekly events celebrating this rich culture which we have the honour of representing! Throughout the course of the academic year, you may also get the chance to partake in some trips across the country to some conventions, or cultural festivals. If you are interested in joining the J-soc committee and would like to both contribute your ideas and involve yourself in the running of this society, you will have the opportunity to do so at the “Extraordinary General Meeting” (EGM) which will be held shortly after your arrival to UCC! Regardless, we would love to see you at our events, where you can see first-hand the cozy, friendly and enthusiastic community we have been so lucky to have throughout the years! We of J-soc wish you all the best during your first year here at UCC.

Welcome to University College Cork! Céad mile fáilte from everyone here in Journalism & Media Society. Whether you’re looking to improve your writing, try your hand at the radio or meet some new friends with similar interests, JournoSoc’s the place to be.

What’s JournoSoc do? We’re here to help you with any forms of journalism you’re into, from newspapers to podcasts. Interested in getting involved with UCC’s student newspaper or magazine? It’s super accessible. Our annual student media night explains how to get involved and lets you talk to the editors you’ll be working with. We also hold workshops on things like interviews, writing and activism, to help improve your own work! Our biggest event last year was a panel and Q&A around online journalism with journalists from thejournal.ie, CorkBeo and Irish Examiner.

Journalism is a broad subject that touches on other disciplines, and we’ve the pleasure of working with other societies. Last year we held some great events with International Development and Government And Politics societies, and we capped the pre-lockdown times with a blogging workshop with Netsoc.

There’s been a lot of changes in UCC’s student media over the past year. You’ve probably seen the UCC Hub by now. Drop by the Newsroom some time! We’ve been leading the way with the Hub’s podcast equipment, with the society’s podcast shining a light on everything from UCC’s rent hikes to disability and LGBTQ+ rights.Post-lockdown JournoSoc’s moved into the digital world with a successful digital AGM and taking part in a seminar on exploring racism in our communities. Check out the Facebook/Twitter/Instagrams to stay updated about what we’re up to.

From this writer’s perspective, getting involved with Journalism society and student media’s been great for my writing, and I’ve made some great friends. Jump in!

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KoreanUCC Korean society is a varied society that invites you to experience every aspect of Korean culture. Throughout the year we run events such as language and Kpop dance workshops, talks on Korean media, fashion, and politics, as well as food events for you to fill your chops like our kimbap workshops and the spicy ramyeon challenge. We hold screening events for the most recent K-dramas and Korean films. Last year we held a successful night with the Embassy of Korea; a great opportunity for those wishing to travel to Korea to study or teach.

In recent years we have taken trips to Korean restaurants and shops in Dublin and we hope this year (fingers crossed) to undertake something similar. This year we plan to take some of our workshops online with some cooking, dance and language lessons taking place on our social media platforms such as instagram, facebook and twitter.

Every year our committee (or as we like to call them our “Kommittee”) endeavors to create new events which we hope will make you as enthusiastic about Korean as we are. We on the kommittee hope to introduce you to Korean music, language, history and we hope that you fall in love with Korea as much as we have. We pride ourselves on our inclusivity and variety, and our involvement with UCC’s numerous other societies such as UCC LGBT society, UCC South East Asian society, and UCC Chinese society allows us to interact and share ideas with others in a friendly and safe environment.

The coming academic year will be challenging for many of us, however we are eager to hold as many interactive events as possible. Speaking personally, UCC Korean society has been a welcome avenue to meet new people and experience a new culture. 만나서 반갑습니다!

LabourUCC Labour is UCC’s Democratic Socialist society, campaigning for equality, social justice, trade unionism and feminism. UCC Labour is one of the most active political societies in UCC.

On campus the branch holds weekly branch meetings where members discuss the society’s plans and current affairs and events.

The branch is also active off-campus, from protests to Dáil trips and Labour’s National Conferences.

We have been involved in campaigning to repeal the 8th amendment, re-elect Michael D, as well as canvassing in the local and General Election.

We’re excited to campaign on important issues of equality and fairness in Irish society again this year.

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LawHeading into its 91st year, UCC’s Law Society is one of the University’s oldest and largest societies. We organise an extremely wide range of activities and do so in an effort to meet the needs and wants of all of our members. The Society hosts regular House Meetings which involve either prestigious guests, such as former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, or insightful panel debates on pressing issues, for example the decriminalisation of drugs. We also facilitate a large amount of debating and moot courts events, open to all members whether they are complete novices or experienced advocates. The Society’s other educational events include our annual Law Conference, biennial Women in Law Forum and the publishing of the Cork Online Law Review. Turning to the social side of things, we produce an extensive social calendar each year, ranging from smaller year-group socials to the black-tie Law Ball and Law Dinner. Finally, we strive to represent the academic and career related views of our members and as such are in constant contact with, and organise many events alongside, UCC’s Law School and employers both in the legal sector and further afield.

All UCC law students are automatic members of the Society and are encouraged to make use of it to enhance every aspect of their legal studies. However, students from any discipline are more than welcome to take part in whatever facets of the Society pique their interest. Regardless of how involved you are in the Law Society, you can be assured that everything we produce is of an extremely high standard and created with our members in mind. We have some exciting plans for next year and hope to see plenty of new members, so make sure to say hello to us around campus or get in touch at law@uccsocieties.ie!

LGBTQ Society strives to build a community for LGBTQ students, professors and other individuals in UCC. We are here to provide support to our members, education to our allies and also to be allies to others. Whether you want to socialize, engage politically or learn about our culture there’s a place for you in our society!

LGBTQ

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Macra na FeirmeAre you looking to join a society that can offer you a wide range of activities? Then Macra na Feirme is the one for you! Macra provides a social outlet for members in performing arts, public speaking, sport, travel, community involvement and agriculture. We compete with other clubs in all these areas so there is something for everyone and plenty of opportunities for you to try something new. Last year, we took part in Capers, a twenty-minute variety show made up of singing, dancing and comedy sketches and came third! We also participated in the Macra National Talent Competition which included singing, a balad group, and solo instrumentals and won numerous categories on the night! We competed in impromptu debating, novice Debating, Question Time plus much more.

Our Macra Monday’s are jam packed with loads of entertainment, from speed dating to farm trips to Fr Ted quizzes. We visited a dairy farm in Minane Bridge (South East Cork), along with going to the National Ploughing match in September. There’s plenty of travel opportunities with weekends away to festivals such as Miss Macra, officer training and the biggest event in the Macra calendar, the Rally!

Charity is also a massive part of what we do and last year we raised over €400 for various charities such as Pieta House and Jigsaw. During lockdown we also held a ‘Survive Inside’ Series where our members documented their daily lives on our Instagram.

Coming off the heels of a successful 2019/20, we have even more exciting events planned for the coming year. So make sure to sign up, you’ll make friends for life, the craic is 90 and there’s something for everyone, you definitely won’t regret it!

Need more information? Drop us a message on Facebook (UCC Macra) , Instagram(@uccmacra) or email(macra@uccsocieties.ie).

MathematicalMathSoc is the society for people who do Maths, pretend they do Maths, or for anyone with even the slightest interest in numbers. Or people with no interest in Maths whatsoever. We’re flexible.

If you loved Maths in secondary school, our events will stimulate your interest while helping you meet like-minded people. If you hated Maths, we’ll soon convince you that it isn’t as disgusting as you may think. It’s often difficult in first year to mingle with your class and more importantly, get the shift. With a unique and active social scene that many envy, you’ll be introduced to your fellow freshers and the “classy” older students.

Our calendar for the coming year will see the return of the MathSoc classics: 4 Years of Maths (annual social with all 4 years of our society members), SIG Cup (we attempt to play soccer), Boole Prize (our lecturing competition for students), IMSA (investigating if other universities’ Maths-goers are as good-looking as us) and Superbrain (check who’s brain is indeed the most super). In case you haven’t heard yet, we also host the biggest event in the UCC calendar - Maths and Physics Ball - which is guaranteed to be huge.

Make sure to keep an eye on our socials to keep up-to-date with our latest scandals. We go by uccmaths across all platforms; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn… Our TikTok career is a working progress, so watch this space.

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Medical

UCC Medical Society caters to students with any interest in healthcare through our many social, academic, and sports events.

Come to meet older medical students at ‘Buddy Night’, and compete against other years in our annual soccer tournament, ‘MedCup.’ We also arrange a variety of medical specialty talks, where consultants talk about the ins and outs of their daily lives!

Be sure not to miss the most extravagant event of the year, Med Ball! Join us for a night of DJs and dancing in one of our most anticipated themed socials.

MedSoc also runs a ‘Teddy Bear Hospital’ each year, where primary school children bring their sick teddy bears to UCC to be treated by us. This wholesome event is beloved by everyone who takes part, so try and get involved if you can!

In such a diverse course, we celebrate cultures from all over the world in our annual ‘Culture Night’! This is a great opportunity to meet people and experience different food, music, and traditions.

The welfare of all UCC students is also hugely important to us. We will be running events all year, online and in college, to help improve your mental health and wellbeing. First year can be scary sometimes, but we try to do as much as we can to help make it as smooth as possible.

We hope to see you soon!

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UCC Medical Research and Technology Society (MRT) promotes student research and progress in medical tech. MRT is where science meets AI. Our mission is to educate the students of UCC with medical backgrounds on non-traditional career options in the realms of research, technology and business. Equally we encourage STEM and business & law students to pursue interests in research, medical devices and technology development. We aim to bridge the gap between the domains of healthcare, business and technology - paving the path to the future of medtech and AI. We are dedicated to encouraging and enhancing medical research in UCC. Our aim is to find new ways for students to get involved in medical research.

We run technology, innovation, research and ethics based events accessible to all students. We also run workshops to help students in their academics by informing them how to compose research based essays, fyp’s, literature reviews etc.

Our events include: 1. Publishing UCC’s first ever Student Research Journal, 2. Hosting research and tech conferences, 3. Organizing UCC’s MedTech Hackathon, 4. Hosting workshops on coding, data analysis and AI 5. Helping students secure summer research placements through our Research Matchmaking Schemes.

In May 2020, UCC MRT began a #ucc4blm initiative supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. We demanded that UCC release a formal statement regarding anti-black racism and supporting BLM.

We were successful in our aims and thus have encouraged UCC into action, making it the first University in Ireland to release a formal statement in favour of BLM.

At MRT we promote much more than research & tech.We promote equality, activism and education.

Are you passionate about science, research, technology, making a difference and standing out? Then MRT is the Society for you!

Med Research and Technology

MusicUCC Music Society is UCC’s only all inclusive live music society. From trad musicians to heavy metal bands, UCC Music Society has it all! Our Singer-Songwriter Competition usually held in semester 1 is a great way for budding musicians to get their music out there and get some feedback from experienced judges. There’s also our many always popular Open Mic Nights held numerous times each semester which are open to everyone! In Semester 2 we hold our biggest event Battle of the Bands, where UCC bands battle it out to claim the title and time in a recording studio. Battle of the Bands 2020 even won Best Creative Event in UCC as well as best poster! If you’re a small time music fanatic or an experienced performer, there’s something everyone in UCC Music Society.

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Musical Theatre

Networking

Willkommen, bienvenue and welcome to UCC everyone! We are the Musical Theatre Society, and we offer all things musical to students! Throughout the academic year, we host workshops, quizzes, bake sales, our Wednesday Club - a weekly social group for the society - and not forgetting our infamous Open Mic Nights! Last year we also produced two large-scale musicals which gained us four AIMS nominations, the first in semester one and the second in semester two. Our most recent productions include “9 to 5 - The Musical” and “Legally Blonde - The Musical”, both of which played to sold-out audiences and were amazingly fun to be involved in both onstage and offstage! As well as these productions, we also enter the annual All-Ireland Musical Theatre Intervarsities - this is a smaller production and a wonderful opportunity for those who are new to musical theatre. Whether you love performing on stage, set design, working as part of the backstage crew, or anything else to do with musical theatre, UCC Musical Theatre Society is a great outlet for students and is a great way to meet and make friends with those who have the same interests as you! Make sure to pop down to our stand on Clubs and Socs Day to find out more about us and our upcoming plans for the year! We hope to see you all soon!

Netsoc is UCC’s Networking, Gaming and Technology Society. We run bi-weekly events in both gaming and technology.

Our gaming events are run each Tuesday. We have an Oculus VR headset, gaming PCs and consoles available to play at events. Past events have included Pokemon Stadium Tournament, Smash Bros Tournament and Co-Op Gaming Night.

Our technology events tend to run on Thursdays. They are programming/computing oriented but are open to everyone, regardless of experience or knowledge. Past events have included Game Hackathons, How to Start and Run a Blog, and How to Get a Job in Tech.

Netsoc is a great place to find like-minded people with similar interests to you in gaming and tech. We look forward to seeing you at our events!

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The UCC Orchestra consists of UCC students with an affection for all things melodious! We practice weekly from 7-9p.m. on Wednesday evenings and it is fair to say that we have a lot of fun at the same time. The orchestra plays a mixture of classical and contemporary pieces and caters to many instruments and many different levels.

In December 2019 we held our extremely successful Christmas concert in the Aula Maxima playing a variety of carols, hymns, and classical pieces. This was an immense success all around. Our string quartet performed at college society balls, including the always popular Yule Ball. Each year, we also focus on working towards our end of year concerts which are always a success. This was unfortunately called off this year, owing to Covid-19, but we plan on re-emerging better than ever next year!

We have run a selection of events outside of the music also, including bake sales and raffles, a movie evening, a coffee evening, and a pizza evening - so there’s something for everyone!

We have no audition process for the orchestra and welcome all instruments. You do not need to be studying music to partake. Above all, we have fun and enjoy the performing experience every week!

Orchestra

PharmacyHi everyone, we are the UCC Pharmacy Society. This year, 2020/2021, will be our fifteenth year of promoting an interest in everything pharmacy and pharmaceutical science here at UCC, and we are really looking forward to seeing you at our events. From academic talks and conferences to the heavily contested Pharm Cup and our annual Winter Trip, there is something on offer for everyone, not just pharmacy students. Last year was one of the most successful years the society has ever had, with our Mental Health conference, a week in Berlin, and numerous UCC-wide awards from the Societies’ Guild. We hope that this year will be even better, and we want as many people as possible to be a part of it.

As a first-year student, PharmSoc events can be an excellent opportunity to meet other people with similar interests. As a pharmacy student, the society organises a series of ‘Surviving Semester’ talks to help you navigate new modules; as well as placement advice, careers’ events, and essay workshops. Nearly every course in UCC has its own formals, but one event was never enough for us! With our Winter Social in semester one and the Pharmacy Ball in semester two, there is always something to be looking forward to. There are countless reasons to join the society, and if you would like to join, we would love to hear from you. Send us a message on our Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat or come chat to us on Societies’ Day to sign up. Looking forward to seeing you!

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Philosophical

Photographic

The Philosophical Society is UCC’s oldest student society, having been formed in 1850, and is one of the Ireland’s most active and prestigious debating unions. The “Philosoph” hosts fun, weekly debates for the students of UCC, elaborating on topics such as Feminism, Climate Change, social issues, and pop culture, among many others! The Philosoph also takes part in many national and international competitions, including the UCD IV, Cambridge IV, the European University Debating Companionship, and the World University Debating Companionship. Recently we have had speakers travel to places such as Galway, Dublin, Glasgow, Mexico, and South Africa, at which they have performed at a very high standard. The Philosoph is a great way to get involved in competitive debating, public speaking, and volunteer work through our Schools Program. Our weekly Development Sessions are held every Tuesday in the Council Chambers at 6:30pm, whereby students are given interactive workshops before debating on a particular topic. These sessions cater to everyone at all levels of debating and all are welcome to attend. In recent years, we have been honoured to host prolific guest speakers such as Eilish O’Carroll, Senator David Norris, John Banville, and Louise O’Neill, as well as panel discussions and comedy debates. The Philosoph is a society for everyone, so feel free to come along to our events and learn something new!

A picture tells a thousand words, so why not start your story by joining the Photography Society. If you have an interest in learning how to take some great shots, want to join in some exciting and interactive events and make some amazing friends along the way then we are the place for you. All skill ranges are welcome if you are an expert with a camera looking to win your Pulitzer prize, just got your first camera and want to get some nice shots and tips or simply just want to take some cool photos on your phone for Social Media come and see what we are all about.

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The Physics and Astronomy Society (known more commonly as Physoc) is about everything in space and time. Most importantly we are about having an enjoyable time. We do plenty of trips throughout the year to go stargazing, also known as chilling in the countryside with telescopes. We hold interactive talks and events to learn about interesting physics topics. These are aimed to be as accessible as possible so don’t worry about needing a prerequisite knowledge. We are quite fond of our chilli eating and baking competitions and are known for trying to provide UCC students with as much milk and cookies as we can buy. Our society is open to everyone, not just Physics students, and we really just want to share our love of Physics and Astronomy in an exciting and engaging way with everyone else.

Physics and Astronomy

PsychologicalThe UCC Psychological Society is an academic society whose aim is to promote psychology and mental health within UCC through various academic, social, and collaborative events. The society is not just for students of Psychology, but also anyone that has an interest in psychological research, concepts and learning more ab out them. For the 2019/20 academic year we hosted many events including bake sale fundraisers for mental health services like Jigsaw and the Rainbow Club in Cork. We hosted academic talks, movie screenings of psychological thrillers as well as a Christmas movie marathon for some respite during study week. We also organised a mindfulness arts and crafts afternoon, and various collaborations with the UCC School of Applied Psychology. Each year we host the UCC Psych Ball which provides a fantastic opportunity to socialise and mingle with staff and students alike – this year’s ball was the best yet with an Enchanted Forest theme, selfie mirror booth and brilliant band making it a night to remember! If you’re interested in finding out more about us, check us out on our social media pages (Facebook [@UccPsychologicalSociety], Instagram [@uccpsychsoc]) and if you would like to join as a member or are interested in running for a committee position for the upcoming academic year 2020/21 feel free to email us at psychological@uccsocieties.ie . The society has been growing year on year and new faces and ideas are always welcome!

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Suicide Aware & Mental Health

At the UCC Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy and Anime Society, we showcase all that these genres have to offer. We hold weekly screenings every Monday and Wednesday evenings, where you can watch a movie or tv series from one of these categories. These events are interspersed with some brilliant panels, such as Superheroes with Disabilities, as well as collaborations with other societies. During Semester 1, we organise Nerd Night, which is a great night to be introduced to 3 of UCC’s big nerd societies; WARPS, NetSoc and UCC Sci-fi. Blind Date is another example, where you answer some fun questions to find a date just in time for Valentine’s Day (and win a free dessert!).

We also host some quiet social nights, where you can meet people to discuss the latest fantasy book series or read some manga whilst sipping some tea!

Every year, we travel to two conventions outside of Cork. These are some of the highlights of our year and provide a great opportunity to meet other society members, whilst also experiencing the atmosphere of other Irish cities and conventions.

We are proud of our strong connection with our very own Kaizoku Con. This UCC-based convention is a fun-filled weekend of panels, puppies and karaoke that is a must-go for any Sci-fi/Anime fan.

We organise cinema trips to see the latest films, such as Avengers:Infinity War. You can try your hand at some of our quiz nights, where you can test your knowledge of the Star Wars universe and win some prizes. Or come sing your heart out at our karaoke, which are always a great night.

So, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a friendly environment to talk about your favourite comic book series or just watch some movies, we welcome everyone to our society!

Sci-Fi

UCC SÁMH is the Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Society in UCC. Our mission is to tackle stigma surrounding mental health and promote positive, transparent conversations on mental health matters both on campus and beyond. We are dedicated to increasing awareness on mental health difficulties, generalisations, stereotypes and myths through the sharing of reliable information as well as spreading much needed suicide awareness. Our events and presence primarily intends to spread the message that it is okay not to be okay, and that mental health is something just as tangible as physical health. We link up with a number of external and internal groups to compliment the work we do, for whom we also fundraise such as Pieta House, UCC Counselling, UCC Niteline and Jigsaw. This helps us seek professional support when needed and give us an opportunity to spread the word of what supports are available should people need them.

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ScienceUCC Science Society is one of the largest societies in UCC. Our aim is to encourage and create an interest in STEM for all UCC students. We run a series of events, quizzes and the famous Science Ball yearly. Every year we need two new “First-Year Reps” to join our committee to help organise all these events and more. These are elected at the beginning of year at our EGM and any first year can run! From academia to just about everything else, UCC Science Soc is your one stop shop for everything science related in UCC. If you’re studying science here in UCC or just have an interest in anything STEM, be sure to join us as a member ASAP or at Socs Day!

Scribble“Scribble Society is such a welcoming society with sweet tunes, chill vibes and the soundest creatives in all of Cork ”

Hello everybody! We are the Arts and Crafts Society in UCC, Scribble Soc.! (But you can call us Scribble) We are a welcoming space open for everyone of all talents and walks of life. Our aim is to provide an outlet for students to express themselves creatively through the medium of drawing, painting and other creative projects in a social setting.

We plan on having plenty of field trips. We visited Fota last year on a sketching tour, and we plan to do so again! We do our best to host a range of different artistic events and many collaborations with other societies. Our events in the past have been mug painting, life drawing, Bob Ross tutorial and pumpkin carving to name a few!

We take great satisfaction from bringing creative people together to make wonderful pieces of art, taking time out from college and the outside world just for a little while.

But just don’t take our word for it, here are the testimonials from a few of our dedicated scribblers!

“UCC Scribble Society has such a welcoming and kind presence throughout the college, and their events have been some of the highlights of my university experience! Scribble Soc has allowed me to try different forms of media and art styles with fun activities, and have a great time doing it”

“Scribble Soc. has pushed the boundaries of what societies can accomplish in UCC. Each event has been unique, well thought out and a ton of fun. They’ve made art accessible, inclusive and entertaining. Even if you don’t think you’re good at art you have a place in scribble soc!”

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Slavic

Social Democrats

Are you a Slav? Are you interested in Central and Eastern European countries? Or maybe you don’t know what Slavic means but want to meet new people, learn a new language, have fun and eat delicious food? If yes, then UCC Slavic Society is a perfect choice for you! Join us to celebrate and learn about our culture through a variety of exciting events and our world-renowned cuisine!

We are the Social Democrats Society and we are one of Ireland’s newest political parties, and although we are small, we’re growing, tripling our number of elected representatives in both the last local and general election. We believe in progressive, rational ideas through evidence based positions, constructive dialogue, and real change. We want to be a force for change, both on campus and nationally. We’re the only party to have over 50% of our representatives to be female, and we are the only party to have a female TD to be elected in Cork City and County in the last General Election. We’ve heavily campanged on issues such as Repeal the 8th and the Equal Marriage Referendum. We also created SlainteCare, the universal tiered healthcare system that every party has signed and agreed to implement in the coming years. We want to give the help to the people who need it most while letting those who don’t need assistance continue on with their lives. Last year we focused on changing things, such as getting as many students as possible registered to vote and ensure that Seanad registration forms were handed out in students’ graduation packs. However, this year we want to focus on engaging and educating the students of UCC, on whatever topics matter most to you. We want to hear from you! We want everyone to be included and for our events to be a safe space, no matter if you’re black, gay, disablibed, no matter your religion or ethnicity, you will be safe, and you will be listened to by us!

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Food, fun, friends, family… With the exception of letters on a report card, it is evident that the things we Southeast Asians value most start with F. SEASoc has been providing a home away from home for Southeast Asian students for the past five years, and will continue doing so for you. Being in 1st year has never been easy with much to learn and adjust to, especially when you’re starting your new life abroad, and SEASoc is here to help ease the transition. We champion the community spirit and aim to create a warm and loving environment for all, international student or not. At the same time, SEASoc is dedicated to promoting SEA culture and celebrating its diversity, and you can expect nuggets of information you never knew or things you never knew you’d miss. We feature a whole host of events, from a full blown cultural showcase during our Cultural Night, to a friendly match during our Saturday Sports at the Mardyke, to singing your hearts out during the much-anticipated Karaoke Night at the end of the year (and an unhealthy amount of sea puns peppered in between) – whether you’re seeking a like-minded community, or are just a curious soul, there is indeed something for everybody. We can’t wait to see you at our events, and would welcome you with open arms whenever you decide to drop by.

South East Asian

St. Vincent de Paul

UCC SVP is a society that aims to highlight social inequalities in Ireland and abroad. We look at how poverty impacts people in society and how we can help eradicate these issues. We hold many fundraising events throughout the year, including an annual sleep out on campus outside our beloved Boole Library! Volunteers are also trained every year to attend local primary schools and Lego Clubs, which is a great way to meet other volunteers and give back to the community!

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Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Surgeon Noonan

As many people will already know, SSDP started September with a bang. Our Chairperson, Ruby Lawlor, interviewed on RTE primetime and on Newstalk Breakfast to talk about SSDP and drug test kits. The Newstalk interview subsequently blew up in national media and multiple outlets got in touch for interviews. Unfortunately, we were told by UCC to cancel the event and cease handing out test kits. However, we continued to have a strong campus-wide presence over the rest of the year.

We invited a variety of people working in harm reduction to come and give workshops and talks over the year such as; Nicole Ryan from Alex’s Adventure, James Leonard a recovering drug addict, activist and criminologist, Róisín O’Donovan from USI, Mick Devine the Tabor Lodge Clinical Director and many others. We screened documentaries, films, held discussion groups and hosted the “Love and Other Drugs” quiz. Members attended the International Drug Policy Reform conference and the UN 63rd Commission on Narcotic Drugs. In the International SSDP awards, Ruby won best SSDP activist and UCC SSDP won the “Morgan Lesko Online Activism” and the “Grace Under Fire” awards due to our work promoting drug test kits and spreading harm reduction material.

We believe that decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use is the best way for the nation to tackle issues around drug use and crime. This would shift the focus of public services, the Gardai etc. to tackle issues related to drug addiction and drug dealing as opposed to criminalizing drug users, particularly addicts who are often some of the most vulnerable members within our society. We will continue to campaign for #DecrimNow

The Surgeon Noonan Society is a registered charity run by UCC medical students that each year raises over €100,000 for underfunded hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, we send medical students as volunteers to these hospitals as a summer elective, paid for by the students themselves so that all money raised goes directly to where it’s needed. Every year, the funds Surgeon Noonan distributes to these hospitals are of untold benefit. These hospitals are desperately lacking in basic supplies, medications and sterile equipment. The finance which we provide to these hospitals not only serves as maintenance funding, but also subsidizes larger projects such as the building of new wards, a surgical unit and the introduction of a HIV Outreach Clinic.

While run by medical students, our fundraising events are open to everybody. Successful past events include table quizzes with themes such as Netflix, Reeling In The Years and more, a Take Me Out night in the student centre’s New Bar, Surgeon Noonan Ball (our largest fundraiser) and for the first time last year a hugely successful Kilo Clothing Sale in the Aula Maxima. We aim to run these events and more in the year to come, and we will be delighted to have any and all student come along.

You may recognise our volunteers collecting in the city or even your hometowns as the year goes on – we’re very visible in our lab coats! If you do, say hi! Donations are welcome too, but if you can’t donate you can keep our volunteers smiling for the day.

To keep up to date with us and our events, you can search for Surgeon Noonan on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. If you want to contact us or ask anything, send a message on any of these platforms or email surgeonnoonan@gmail.com.

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Our mission at the UCC surgical society is to engage students with surgery as a profession. Our main projects this year include the UCC surgical skills competition held in Term 1, whereby the winners of said competition would travel to the national surgical competition in Dublin (assuming such an event is safe under social distance restrictions). Our other main project in the annual UCC surgical conference held in Term 2 with virtual presentations and small group workshops. Last year’s conference had talks from many surgical specialities including cardiothoracic, plastics and orthopaedics. Whereas at the conference workshops attendees were able to practice diathermy, radial plating and suturing with pig tissue. We hope our conference this year will be as just as successful, if not more so than last year’s.

Throughout the year we also have workshops to practice suturing and laparoscopy skills, as well as various speciality talks in collaboration with other societies.

We will host an open night for new students to have a go a suturing near the start of term. So please come along and meet the committee! And follow our page on Facebook (UCC Surgical Society) to stay updated on other events throughout the year.

Surgical

Translational MedicineTranslational Medicine is the multi-disciplinary approach to improving human health and longevity by converting laboratory discoveries into clinical applications. “Bench-to-bedside” approach. This aim of our society is to encourage students to create change in the world of human health through translational and personalised medicine. To educate students on topical health issues and to encourage scientific innovation in that field. Students will receive invaluable information about t h e future of medical science and career opportunities involving the application of translational medicine.

Our events have been carefully selected to benefit those already invested in translation medicine and the wider UCC body with an interest in this field.

Catering for our CK707 students is a branch of our society we are extremely proud of. Through our buddy system, students will receive tips and tricks for modules and exams. The social events we run allow students form valuable friendships within all years. Students will be supported with career guidance and seeking work experience.

Some of the exciting events we have planned for the coming year include a conference- highlighting the application of translation medicine across different medical science industries. Charity fundraisers focusing on important aspects of health promotion with the help of special guests from the fitness world.

Throughout the year as a member of our society you will get the opportunity to be involved in organising college balls, recruiting medical professionals, researchers etc to come to UCC, enjoying trips away .. the list goes on!

So with that said, if you are a student with enthusiasm, drive and a passion for advancing human health we would LOVE for you to join us!! See you soon!

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Vegan

WARPS

UCC Vegan Society are all about creating a welcoming community full of vegans, vegetarians or anyone interested in a more empathetic, sustainable and plantbased lifestyle!

Our society is committed to providing advice, fun and friendship to the UCC campus in an inclusive and accessible manner. Our events such as weekly potlucks, bakesales, screenings, discussions, collabs and trips aim to engage and educate our society members on all things plantbased, eco-conscious and animal-friendly. We hope to continue to donate to local animal sanctuaries and support local vegan businesses, all while creating lifelong, likeminded friends.

We would love to see as many of you as possible throughout the year, everyone is always welcome to UCC VegSoc! Enjoy your experience at UCC

Welcome to WARPS – the tabletop and boardgames society of UCC. Now you may be wondering about the strange name, well it’s an acronym for the Wargaming And Role Playing Society – and we certainly earn our namesake (and much more!).

We regularly meet for weekly gaming each Thursday, letting our members play a plethora of boardgames we have available as well as offer a friendly environment for people to play RPGs, Wargames and CCGs on campus. Whether you are new to tabletop games in general or just want to try out a new boardgame, our committee will always be there to give you a hand and play a few games. We also run events outside of weekly gaming, such as introductions to certain games, tournaments to decide the greatest tactician and charity events across the year. Of course the highlight of our year is our very own convention – Warpcon! Going 30 years strong, this convention is a weekend filled to the brim with competitive wargaming and card games, along with role playing of both the tabletop and live-action variety. With stalls offering nerdy goods and a charity auction at the end of the night, it’s a fun gathering for all.

WARPS hopes to provide a welcoming atmosphere to all students, giving everyone the chance to enjoy themselves in a thrilling game or a gripping adventure. So come along, and play on!

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WiSTEM is a society founded in August 2018. Our aim is to support women in UCC in achieving their full potential in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. We are part of a growing movement that is making STEM a more diverse and accepting field to work in. Our goal is to inspire and aid everyone in furthering their careers in STEM and to to encourage awareness of equality for all in the workplace. We do this by helping students build the skills they need to succeed and find role models and connections in their industry. The society focuses on corporate and professional events. We organise talks from inspiring women in STEM, workshops to help you develop the workplace skills you need to do well and industry tours to help you gain insight into your potential career. We organise our own school outreach programme, where society members visit primary schools and committee members hosted a panel at IWISH in City Hall last year. We also host networking events, like our International Women’s Day Brunch in the River Lee Hotel, that raised 1600 euro for Women’s Aid. Last year, WiSTEM worked with 29 companies, including J&J, Accenture, Pfizer and Vodafone. We were awarded Best Society Event in UCC for our IWISH Campus Day and Best Academic, Social and Cultural Society in UCC last year. WiSTEM’s mission is to bring together groups of people to empower others and is open to everyone, not just women or STEM students.

WiSTEM

Young Fine Gael

UCC Young Fine Gael is one of the largest political societies on campus, where we provide a forum for students interested in areas of political discussion, policy, debate and social activities. We organise policy think-ins, debates, fundraisers, national and international trips, quizzes - basically anything you can think of! This year as well as holding many debates and movie nights - we spent a lot of time supporting candidates in the General Election that took place in February, travelling to other parts of Munster and to the Dáil. Whether you have an interest in politics already or not, UCC YFG is a great place to discuss issues that you feel passionate about. We have members from all courses and counties - and we are always welcoming new members throughout the year - so make sure you join us this September!

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